Alstroemeria plant named ‘Maestro’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alstroemeria  plant named ‘Maestro’, characterized by its upright and strong flowering stems; durable and long-lasting leaves; freely flowering habit; large umbels with large red purple-colored flowers; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Alstroemeria hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Maestro’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, commercially used as a cut flower Alstroemeria, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Maestro’.

The new Alstroemeria is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Chichester, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new cut flower Alstroemeria cultivars with freely flowering habit, large flowers, attractive flower colors and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Alstroemeria originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Chichester, United Kingdom, in 1999 of a selection of Alstroemeria hybrida identified as code number 1302/19, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as code number 390/6, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Alstroemeria was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Chichester, United Kingdom in 1999.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by tissue culture in a controlled environment in Chichester, United Kingdom, has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Maestro have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Maestro’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Maestro’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and strong flowering stems.     -   2. Durable and long-lasting leaves.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large umbels with large red purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the parent selections. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have more durable foliage than plants of the parent selections. In addition, plants of the new Alstroemeria have larger flowers than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Patricia, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/177,976 filed concurrently. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Geldern, Germany, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed from plants of the cultivar Patricia in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had shorter flowering stems         than plants of the cultivar Patricia.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had larger inflorescences and         larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Patricia.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrative the overall appearance of the new Alstroemeria, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alstroemeria.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Maestro’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower and leaves of ‘Maestro’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Alstroemeria grown during the spring in ground beds in Geldern, Germany in a glass-covered greenhouse for about five months. During the production of the plants, day temperatures were about 11° C. and night temperatures were about 7° C. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida cultivar Maestro. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as             code number 1302/19, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as             code number 390/6, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy, thick; white, close to             155D, in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.         -   Rhizomes.—Shape: Elongate; rounded. Length: About 5 cm.             Diameter: About 9 mm. Texture: Smooth. Color: 155A. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Upright and strong flowering stems; freely             basal branching, bushy appearance. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 160 cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 75 cm.         -   Number of harvestable flowering stems per year.—About 85 to             110 per plant.         -   Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Upright. Length: About             160 cm. Internode length: About 4 to 77 cm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Glabrous, smooth. Color: 137C.         -   Foliage description.—Length, largest: About 14 cm. Width,             largest: About 3.5 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Parallel.             Durability: Durable, long-lasting. Petiole length: About             3 cm. Petiole diameter: About 6 mm. Petiole texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing             foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 136B. Fully expanded             foliage, upper surface: 136A. Fully expanded foliage, lower             surface: 137B. Venation, upper surface: 139A. Venation,             lower surface: 136B. Petiole, upper surface: Close to 136A.             Petiole, lower surface: Close to 137B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single cup-shaped flowers arranged in             compound umbels. Flowers face mostly outward. Perianth             segments separate. Freely and continuously flowering.             Flowers not persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering continuous year-round             under greenhouse conditions.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About 7 to 18 days.         -   Flower longevity as a cut flower.—About seven to nine days.         -   Flower buds (showing color).—Length: About 7.5 cm. Diameter:             About 2.5 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 72B; towards the apex,             135B.         -   Umbel height.—About 22 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 28 cm.         -   Number of flowers per umbel.—About three to six.         -   Flower diameter.—About 9 cm.         -   Flower height.—About 5 cm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each             whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Size, inner             perianth segments: Length, lateral segments: About 6 cm.             Length, median segment: About 5.5 cm. Width, lateral             segments: About 2 cm. Width, median segment: About 2 cm.             Size, outer perianth segments: Length, lateral segments:             About 6.3 cm. Length, median segment: About 6.3 cm. Width,             lateral segments: About 3.4 cm. Width, median segment: About             3.4 cm. Shape, inner perianth, all segments: Lanceolate.             Shape, outer perianth, all segments: Rounded. Apex, inner             perianth, all segments: Acute; mucronate. Apex, outer             perianth, all segments: Bracket-shaped; mucronate. Base,             inner and outer perianths, all segments: Attenuate. Margin,             inner and outer perianths, all segments: Entire. Texture,             inner and outer perianths, all segments: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, inner perianth: When opening and fully opened,             lateral segments, upper surface: 72A; center section, 13B;             spots, close to 59A. When opening and fully opened, median             segment, upper surface: 72A; spots, close to 59A. When             opening and fully opened, lateral and median segments, lower             surface: 72A. Color, outer perianth: When opening and fully             opened, lateral and median segments, upper surface: 72A;             spots, close to 59A. When opening and fully opened, lateral             and median segments, lower surface: 72A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 137A to 137B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 9 mm. Anther             diameter: About 2 mm. Anther color: 183B. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: N186A. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 5 cm. Style length: About 3 cm.             Style color: 54A. Stigma color: 54A. Ovary color: 147A.         -   Fruits.—Shape: Globular. Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Color: 146B.         -   Seeds.—Seed development has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Alstroemerias. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from 0 to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant named ‘Maestro’, as illustrated and described. 